Organization

Research Group for MA Transmutation Fuel CycleH.Hayashi

Previous feasibility study on transmutation system shows that only 20 % of minor actinides (MA) in the fuel can be transmuted in one burning cycle of about 2 years. To increase the transmutation ratio, reprocessing of spent MA transmutation fuels and reuse of MA elements existing in the spent MA transmutation fuels are necessary. Therefore, fuel fabrication, transmutation, and reprocessing should be repeated in the MA transmutation fuel cycle. “Research Group for MA Transmutation Fuel Cycle” has been carrying out research and development of the technology on reprocessing of spent MA transmutation fuel to recover and reuse MAs in the spent fuels. One of our concerns is on pyrochemical treatment technology, in which molten salts and liquid metals are used as solvents; this technique is suitable for treatment of MA transmutation nitride fuels.